craig county

What Craig County lacks in population it makes up for in rugged natural beauty. With 112,000 acres of the county located in the Jefferson National Forest, more than half of the county is federally-owned, multi-use forest land. The county’s more than 5,000 residents enjoy a rural quality of life among such features as Craig’s Creek, John’s Creek and the Appalachian Trail.The Eastern Continental Divide splits Craig County, with stream valleys in the north and south draining northeastward towards the James River and the Atlantic Ocean, and a central stream valley, Sinking Creek, draining southwestward towards the New River and the Gulf of Mexico. Craig County is very important from an environmental standpoint because of its location at the very top of major watersheds. What drains from Craig County in its rocky streams impacts cities and towns all the way to the coasts.

The view from a ridgetop on Sinking Creek Mountain, protected by the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy

The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy protects about 170 acres of land in Craig County and 1.5 miles of streams, from the top of Sinking Creek Mountain to Craigs Creek near New Castle.